Bazaar Botanica to hold spooky market in October
Bazaar Botanica Market is going to get spooky in October with the “Mercado Oculto” event, and not since Little Shop of Horrors has flora and fauna been this scary. Taking place at Gilt nightclub on Sunday, Oct. 17 at 1 p.m., Mercado Oculto promises over 60 area vendors peddling all manner of (not just plant-centric)…
An upcoming billboard art exhibition will spice up I-4 with the works of Orlando area artists
Local arts organization the Corridor Project is inviting Orlando area artists to make the I-4 commute less of a soul-sucking grind by treating roadside billboards like art galleries, and there’s still time to apply to participate. The Corridor Project’s Billboard Exhibition is repurposing the advertising billboards along select stretches of I-4 from humdrum advertising fodder…
A long-rumored timeshare addition might be coming to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
By 2014, when Disney announced the conversion of multiple buildings with the Polynesian Village Resort into timeshare units, many fans had already been discussing the project for years. As early as 2011, there had been strong rumors of Disney Vacation Club, the Mouse’s timeshare division, heading to the resort. The move to convert existing hotel…
Though it’s frequently forgotten, Legoland is Central Florida’s most-improved theme park
Even while Disney and SeaWorld are readying to open new attractions in the coming months, no Florida theme park has done as much as Legoland Florida when it comes to new additions over the past few years. Since opening in 2011, Legoland Florida has overhauled multiple lands and added major new attractions nearly every year.…
Legal Public Notices 09/22 issue
Orlando Legals Legal Public Notices Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell personal property described below at the property indicated: October 8, 2021 at the times and location listed below. The personal goods stored therein by the following: 12:00 PM Extra Space Storage 1101 Marshall Farms Rd, Ocoee 34761 (407) 516-7221 Robert Sadler – Golf Clubs,…
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appoints Surgeon General who opposes mask mandates, praises vaccine alternatives
Physician and researcher Joseph Ladapo was named Florida surgeon general on Tuesday, calling for being “done with fear” amid the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed more than 51,000 of the state’s residents. Gov. Ron DeSantis held a news conference to introduce Ladapo, who has worked as an associate professor at UCLA’s David Geffen School of…
Tampa’s Next Big Thing shares 20th anniversary lineup: Weezer, Twenty One Pilots to headline
Tampa Bay’s Next Big Thing concert is almost old enough to drink, and to celebrate, organizer 97X is bringing in Twenty One Pilots and Weezer to headline the 2-day party happening in Tampa this winter. Tickets to see Twenty One Pilots and Weezer play 97X Next Big Thing at MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre in Tampa,…
‘Dazzling Nights’ holiday event returns to Orlando’s Leu Gardens in November
Dazzling Nights, the immersive holiday lights phantasmagoria, is returning to Harry P. Leu Gardens in November, just in time for … well, “not-summer” in Orlando. The outdoors winter wonderland, brought to life by the inventive minds behind the Creative City Project, will be coming back to Leu Gardens for a second, longer run of dates…
Belle Isle police officer resigns after being pulled over drunk and pantsless
A Belle Isle police officer has resigned after Volusia County deputies arrested him in DeBary on charges of driving under the influence, refusing to submit to sobriety tests, open container violations and speeding. Bodycam footage shared by the VCSO shows a shirtless Ivar Ruiz refusing to continue a sobriety test. The deputy warns Ruiz that…
‘Venom’ illustrator Sam de la Rosa to celebrate National Comic Book Day at Longwood’s Acme this weekend
Comic book shops around the country will be marking National Comic Book Day this weekend, and Longwood’s Acme Superstore is celebrating in particularly high style with Venom artist Sam de la Rosa doing two days of in-store signings. Since the 1980s, de la Rosa has illustrated work for most of the major comics publishers, including…
College Park’s Jaber Lebanese Cuisine is now closed
You’ll have to travel quite a ways if you want the blend of Brazilian and Mediterranean food offered by Jaber Lebanese Cuisine. The College Park location closed earlier this month, leaving only its nine locations in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The restaurant announced its end on Instagram earlier this month, per Bungalower, saying that they were…
Major newspapers join Orlando legislator’s lawsuit against state of Florida over COVID-19 data
Circuit Court Judge John Cooper ruled on Monday to allow national media outlets like the New York Times, Washington Post and Associated Press to join an ongoing lawsuit against the state of Florida over its COVID-19 data. Orlando legislator Carlos Guillermo Smith filed suit against the state after they discontinued their live dashboard of coronavirus…
‘Punks for Pets’ benefit show to raise funds for Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando
A bevy of Orlando punks bands are uniting for a good cause this weekend with the “Punks for Pets” show, benefiting the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando. Locals the Fatties, Howling Midnight, Royal Graves and Outatime are set to kick up a raucous racket at Will’s Pub on Sunday, Sept. 26, at this Montgomery Drive-hosted…
Senate leader of Florida’s redistricting process wants to be more open this time around
Senate Reapportionment Chairman Ray Rodrigues said Monday he wants the Florida Legislature to avoid the “shadow process” that occurred in 2012 when lawmakers drew new political district lines that were rejected by the Florida Supreme Court. The Estero Republican said changes have been implemented to avoid another battle with the court and that the public…
AdventHealth officials testify to hospital staffing shortage before Florida Legislature
Hospital administrators on Monday gave House committees a glimpse into the challenges facing health care professionals, describing efforts to re-imagine how care is delivered amid a nursing shortage and sizable financial hit from the COVID-19 pandemic. At the forefront of the concerns is a shortage of nurses, which the executives told lawmakers has created an…
Jerry Demings says Orange County COVID-19 positivity heading in ‘right direction’
It feels like forever ago that Orange County had a coronavirus positivity rate below 5%. That number was set by the county and used as a benchmark to declare an end to social distancing and mask policies. After Gov. Ron DeSantis blew up the “very small government” rule his party claims to stand for, mandating…
‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ stars to headline Orlando’s Come Out With Pride celebrations
Orlando’s Come Out With Pride organizers have announced two big-name headliners for the upcoming October celebration at Lake Eola Park, and they’ll be very familiar to devotees of RuPaul’s Drag Race: Gottmik and Kylie Sonique Love. Gottmik came to fame on Season 13 of Drag Race, both as the first trans man to compete on the…
Grills Seafood owner declines to mandate Covid-19 vaccine for employees: ‘God told me not to take this vaccine’
The owner of Orlando and Cape Canaveral’s Grills Seafood will impose weekly COVID-19 testing among his employees, following a mandate from the administration of President Joe Biden requiring employee vaccination or weekly testing for large employers. In a memo to employees announcing the move, owner Joe Penovich said he refuses to mandate vaccination because “God…
Florida Legislature to consider bill ending Confederate holidays
A proposal that would end legal holidays marking the birthdays of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee and Confederate President Jefferson Davis, along with Confederate Memorial Day, has been revived in the Florida Senate. The measure (SB 250), filed Friday by Senate Minority Leader Sen. Lauren Book, D-Plantation, would also do away with statutory protections for…
Ag Commissioner Nikki Fried joins Ron DeSantis’ fight to keep antibody treatments
A day after Gov. Ron DeSantis pledged to “fight like hell” to maintain Florida’s supply of monoclonal antibody treatments for people with COVID-19, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried asked President Joe Biden to hold off on changing Florida’s allotment of the therapeutics. Fried, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in 2022, asked for planned…
Tonstartssbandht reveal new Orlando-centric music video ahead of 18th album release
Itinerant indie project Tonstartssbandht — the Orlando-bred duo of Edwin and Andy White — are poised to release a new album through taste-making label Mexican Summer next month. And they’ve just released a new music video to whet your appetites. Petunia, due out on Oct. 22, will be the brothers’ 18th album under the Tonstartssbandht banner. Petunia was mostly written…
Florida rep’s bill to ban ‘race or sex scapegoating’ sparks a call to teach African American history year round
State Rep. Randy Fine, R-Palm Bay, is lashing out against the idea of critical race theory, filing a bill to ban its use in all government institutions, including universities. Critical race theory is an upper-level academic framework that examines whether and how systems and policies perpetuate racism. The topic has become a lightning rod for…
Orlando Museum of Art plans to open Chihuly rooftop garden at new downtown campus
Orlando Museum of Art’s planned downtown location isn’t going to rest on the laurels of the nearly 100-year-old institution. Per a new report from GrowthSpotter, the OMA campus will include the first-ever rooftop garden of glass sculptures by artist Dale Chihuly. OMA plans to create both a sculpture garden and a garden garden on the…
Viral video compares Florida’s COVID-19 death toll to Vietnam War
NEW VIDEO: #FloridaIsVietnam Under @GovRonDeSantis Covid Deaths in Florida will surpass American deaths during *ENTIRE* Vietnam war. We need your RETWEET and QUOTE RETWEET. pic.twitter.com/u7K2zYiiwp — Don Winslow (@donwinslow) September 16, 2021 A viral video from author Don Winslow compares the death toll in Florida from the coronavirus to the number of American servicemembers killed…
Orlando Shakes to require negative COVID-19 test or proof of vax for upcoming shows
Orlando Shakes doesn’t want your house or theirs to have a plague on it. The stalwart theater company just announced new admission restrictions on their upcoming shows, requiring either a negative COVID-19 test or proof of vaccination for all attendees. The rules around what test can be used are rather thorough. Guests must provide a…
Florida Hospital Association reports dramatic drop in COVID-19 hospitalizations
The Florida Hospital Association noted a dramatic drop-off in the number of new coronavirus hospitalizations over the last two weeks. As the surge of the Delta variant continues to wane, the number of people hospitalized due to complications from the virus has fallen sharply. Pulling their data from the Department of Health and Human Services,…
Ron DeSantis plans to ‘fight like hell’ to keep Florida’s antibody treatment program going
While Florida looks to round the corner on administering 100,000 monoclonal antibody treatments to people with COVID-19, Gov. Ron DeSantis pledged Thursday to “fight like hell” to continue receiving the treatments as the federal government this week took control over distribution of the drugs. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Monday reported…
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody joins push against Biden admins’ vaccine requirements
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody joined 23 other Republican attorneys general Thursday in threatening a legal challenge to a decision by President Joe Biden that would require many private-sector workers to get vaccinated or undergo weekly testing for COVID-19. In a letter to Biden, the GOP attorneys general called the president’s plan “disastrous and counterproductive”…
South Asian Film Festival returns to Maitland’s Enzian in October
Maitland’s Enzian Theater and the Asian Cultural Association are bringing back the South Asian Film Festival for a landmark 27th year, and it’s only a few weeks away. Dubbed “Beyond Bollywood,” the South Asian Film Festival happens at the Enzian over a long weekend from Saturday-Monday, Oct. 2-4. Attendees this year will get the chance…
Florida’s vaccine passport ban takes effect today
The long-touted vaccine passport ban in Florida takes effect today. That could mean millions of dollars in fines for Orange County. The law passed by the Florida Legislature doles out $5,000 fines for every violation of a rule that forbids private businesses and government entities from requiring proof of vaccination. The Florida Department of Health…
Orlando wrestling offshoot Mayhem on Mills announces Halloween event and new venue
Mayhem on … Virginia? Local indie wrestling fed Mayhem on Mills has announced a return to live action around Halloween and a surprising change of locale. In a video posted on Facebook, announcer and hype-man Chuck Steak, dolled up like a fortuneteller, announced Mayhem’s long-awaited live return would be happening on Sunday, Oct. 24, at…
Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando catches fire, leading to death of 23 cats
The Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando’s Orlando location caught fire last night at around 10:30 p.m. While firefighters, police and shelter staff were able to rescue all dogs on the premises, the animal shelter reports that 23 cats perished. The shelter shared the sad news to their Facebook, noting that all the animals will be…
Federal judge rules against parents of disabled children, allows mask mandate ban to continue
A federal judge Wednesday rejected a request by parents of disabled children to block Gov. Ron DeSantis’ efforts to prevent school districts from requiring students to wear masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Judge K. Michael Moore issued a 34-page ruling that denied a request for a preliminary injunction against an executive order that DeSantis issued…
Florida Legislature to hear bills that could lead to smoking bans at beaches, parks
An effort to allow local governments to restrict smoking on beaches and in public parks is back before the Legislature. Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, and Rep. Randy Fine, a Brevard County Republican, filed bills (SB 224 and HB 105) on Wednesday that would allow counties and municipalities to restrict smoking within the boundaries of public…
California New Years Eve EDM festival Countdown expands to Florida
Ever since Orlando’s 1990s reign as the home of breakbeat, EDM has had a strong hold on Central Florida. Former Orlando resident Diplo is still a regular name on area marquees, and Electric Daisy Carnival long ago made a leap from the desert to the swamp. Now yet another EDM fest is expanding into the…
Del Taco plans new location in Lake Nona
A third location of the California-based chain Del Taco is coming to the Orlando area. The latest outpost of the taco restaurant will be in booming Lake Nona. News of the new Del Taco came from Orlando Business Journal. The publication shared that an over 2,000-square-foot restaurant was planned for 12211 Narcoossee Road. The deal…
‘Grim Reaper’ lawyer supported by former Florida Supreme Court justice in sanctions case
The lawyer who drew attention to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ hands-off approach to the pandemic by dressing as the Grim Reaper is staring down punishment from the Florida Bar. As he makes his case, however, Daniel Uhlfelder has some powerful names in his corner. A former state Supreme Court chief justice backed Uhlfelder in a…
Video shows Orlando Fire Chief Benjamin Barksdale fighting restaurant-owning family in North Carolina, per report
Orlando Fire Chief Benjamin Barksdale recently turned himself in to police on charges of misdemeanor assault in North Carolina. In a video obtained by Spectrum News 13, Barksdale can be seen fighting with a father and daughter inside the restaurant they own. According to arrest reports, Barksdale entered the restaurant after it was closed and…
Watch legendary comedian Norm Macdonald, who passed away this week, roast Florida’s swinger culture
Legendary writer, comedian and actor Norm Macdonald died yesterday at the age of 61. He leaves behind a legacy of hilarious stand-up sets, TV show episodes, movies and interviews. In 2014, he talked about doing stand-up in Florida on “The Howard Stern Show” and being offered sex and drugs by people — though he didn’t…
COVID-19 hospitalizations decrease in Florida
Florida continues to see reduced numbers of patients hospitalized with COVID-19. A reported 10,979 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized Tuesday at 228 Florida hospitals, according to data posted on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website. A week earlier, 13,628 patients at 229 Florida hospitals were reported as having COVID-19. The number of people…
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis calls for end to standardized tests in schools
Saying the state’s system of standardized testing in public schools is “quite frankly, outdated,” Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday announced that lawmakers will consider a proposal during the 2022 legislative session to end the Florida Standards Assessments. The statewide exams in English-language arts and math, known as the FSA, are given annually to students in…
Orlando opinion: COVID-19 is also a women’s issue
To our elected officials: Being a woman in America, under normal circumstances, means that we have to juggle childbearing, rearing, unequal share of household chores, and probably a job or career, with terrible maternity leave or childcare benefits. Many of us take on the role of caregivers to elderly parents as well. Being a woman…
Six new restaurants in Orlando, plus Ramen Rumble, Mills 50 Parking Lot Party and more
NEWS + EVENTS: Tacos & Tequila goes from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, at Cheyenne Saloon on Church Street. Visit tacosandtequilaorlando.com for more … On Sept. 23 at 6 p.m., master sommelier Andy McNamara will host an exclusive tasting of wines from J. Denuzière at Digress Wine. Cost is $125 … The Mills 50 Parking…
Orlando concert picks, Sept. 15-21: Dark Time Sunshine, Ceschi, Unwed Sailor, DJ Three
Because we suck at civilization now, protect yourself and mask up if you go out. Stucco, Zap Dragon, Rainbow Park: Stucco is the eclectic, Ween-inspired solo vehicle for Welzeins frontman Russ Nordstrom. For live shows, he fills the band with members of Timothy Eerie and makes them all wear white overalls. Completing the bill will…
Every day, Facebook subverts WhatsApp users’ privacy protections by examining their encrypted messages and images
When Mark Zuckerberg unveiled a new “privacy-focused vision” for Facebook in March 2019, he cited the company’s global messaging service, WhatsApp, as a model. Acknowledging that “we don’t currently have a strong reputation for building privacy protective services,” the Facebook CEO wrote that “I believe the future of communication will increasingly shift to private, encrypted…
Savage Love: ‘My massage therapist disclosed that he had developed feelings for me. Eww!’
Dear Dan: I’m a 35-year-old straight woman living in the Midwest. I was seeing a massage therapist for three years and we became very close friends. I referred my friends to him and helped him grow his business. He eventually disclosed to me that he had developed feelings for me. I went into instant shock…
7-year-old adoptable dog Bricks is protective of his toys — and maybe you!
Meet Bricks! Bricks (A445252) is a sweet 7-year-old boy who was surrendered by his previous owner because they were moving and could not take with them. According to them, Bricks knows some obedience commands, is friendly with women and men, and needs work when it comes to being housebroken. He is crate-trained and has not…
New releases from Orlando’s Protosynthesis and Chris Cortez + Larry Williams
Between them, homegrown jazz players Chris Cortez and Larry Williams have tons of history with an association that goes back to the 1980s. Cortez, of course, is well-known these days as not just a jazz guitarist but also the face of Winter Park live venue Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts and founder of record…
What’s new on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu etc. — Melanie Laurent in ‘The Mad Women’s Ball,’ James McAvoy in ‘My Son,’ more
Premieres Wednesday, Sept. 15: My Son — Star James McAvoy was given no script or dialogue to draw upon as he navigated his latest acting assignment: playing a desperate father who’s searching for his missing child. For more on people who completely improvise their way through parenting, see YOUR DAD. (Peacock) Nailed It 6 —…
Rave legend DJ Three returns to Orlando
Downtown Orlando club night Discothèque is celebrating one year of presenting audiences at Barbarella with creative and cutting-edge DJs across generations with an iconic Florida party-starter: DJ Three. Though DJ Three (né Christopher Milo) now calls New York home, he helped jump-start the dance music scene in Florida in the 1990s with a spirit of…
Things to do in Orlando, Sept. 15-21: Santana, Hasan Minaj, ‘Fun Home,’ Tacos + Tequila
Our selections of the best stuff to do this week. Friday, Sept. 17SantanaLegendary guitarist Carlos Santana holds court at the Amway Center Friday as part of his “Blessings and Miracles” tour. And we could use a little of both these days. The Grammy-winning and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame-residing guitarist will lead his band…
Former President Bush calls right-wing extremists ‘children of the same foul spirit’ as Afghan militants. But he built the party where it flourishes
I’d worked late finishing an investigation into a cabal of developers who were effectively dictating a local government’s land-use decisions. As I groggily pulled into my newspaper’s parking lot that morning, only a few phone calls stood between me and one of the biggest scoops of my nascent career. Another reporter met me at the…
